Rethinking the effects of identity politics in a multiethnic society: a comparative case analysis of Zambia and Kenya.
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Date
2017-01-26
Authors
Mulubale, S.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Taylor and Francis Routledge
Abstract
This paper is an investigation of identity politics and its relevance. It engages the
‘instrumentalist model’ in understanding the causal chains that can either stabilise or
destabilise multi-ethnic societies. It employs a comparative case analysis of Zambia and
Kenya. A substantial similarity in our cases is that identity politics has a hold in both
nations and the extreme difference is ethnic identity cleavages appear divisive among
Kenya’s elites, thus spilling into communities, whereas Zambia shows positive ethnic
cohesion trends due to responsible elite conduct. The central proposition of this paper is
that politics founded on identity fosters societal stability as opposed to instability.
Politicised identities appear to promote division in a multi-ethnic society only because of
instrumentalist causes. Thus, with the aid of cases, we analytically illustrate how and why
‘identity politics’ is not necessarily bad and we demonstrate its relevance in enhancing
governing capacity which then translates into social harmony.
Description
Keywords
, Ethnicity. , Identity politics. , ,
Citation
Mulubale, S. (2017). Rethinking the Effects of Identity Politics in a Multi-ethnic Society: A Comparative Case Analysis of Zambia and Kenya. Politikon, 44(1), 49-71.